China investigates top official for alleged graft

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities said Saturday that they are investigating a senior national politician for alleged violations of Communist Party rules and the country's laws, as Beijing shows no easing in its efforts to find and punish corrupt officials.

Su Rong, vice chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, is the highest-ranking official to come under investigation under President Xi Jinping, who has vowed to fight corruption.

The ruling Communist Party's central commission for discipline inspection said in a one-sentence statement posted on its website that Su is being investigated for allegedly violating party rules and state laws, which usually refers to corruption charges. It did not provide further details.

Su had served as the party chief for Jiangxi, Gansu and Qinghai provinces before he ascended to the national leadership last year. He's the highest-ranking official to come under investigation since Xi took power at the party's 18th national congress in late 2012.

Xi has made the anti-graft campaign a hallmark of his administration, with widespread and deep-rooted corruption threatening the legitimacy of the party's rule. He has pledged to punish all corrupt officials, no matter how high- or low-ranking they are.

Su was last seen publicly last week when he was in Qinghai province, visiting local businesses and inspecting a region that was struck by a deadly earthquake in 2010.